PDF Editing Issues

How to Highlight or Underline Text in PDF and Word Documents

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 19, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to know how to highlight or underline text in a document, with instructions varying based on whether they are handling an original PDF or a converted DOCX file.

How to Highlight or Underline Text in PDF and Word Documents

Product: Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Annotating an original PDF document or formatting text in a document that has been converted to Microsoft Word.
Observed behavior: The user wants clear instructions on finding and using the highlight and underline tools in their respective applications, as the tool locations differ between PDF editors and Word processors.

Before you start

Check your file format before proceeding. Confirm whether you are opening a .pdf file in a PDF reader or a .docx file in a word processor, as the annotation tools are located in different menus.

Solution 1Recommended

Highlight or Underline Text in a PDF Using Adobe Acrobat

Use this method if you are working directly with the original PDF file in Adobe Acrobat or Reader.

In Adobe Acrobat and Reader (including version XI), text markup tools are grouped under the annotations menu. These tools allow you to emphasize text without altering the underlying document content.

Open the PDF document

Launch Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader and open the PDF file you wish to annotate.

Access the Annotations menu

Navigate to the top menu or the right-hand pane, click on 'Comment', and then select 'Annotations'.

Select the Markup Tool

Click on the 'Highlight Text' icon (usually a marker symbol) or the 'Underline' icon.

Apply to text

Click and drag your cursor over the specific text in the document you want to highlight or underline.

Highlight or Underline Text in a PDF Using Adobe Acrobat

Tool Availability: If you cannot select the text, the PDF might be a scanned image. You will need to use an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tool to recognize the text first.

Solution 2

Highlight or Underline Text in a Converted Word Document

Follow these steps if you have converted the PDF to a Word (.docx) format and are currently editing it in Microsoft Word.

All-in-one PDF & Word Editor

Easily Highlight Text in Both PDF and Word with WPS Office

WPS Office offers an all-in-one solution that lets you seamlessly read, edit, and annotate both PDF files and Word documents within a single application. You no longer need to switch between different software to highlight or underline text.

1. Open your file in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open either your PDF or DOCX file from the main dashboard.
2. Annotate a PDF: If working with a PDF, navigate to the 'Comment' tab on the top ribbon and select the 'Highlight' or 'Underline' tool, then drag over your text.
3. Format a Word Document: If working with a DOCX file, stay on the 'Home' tab and use the 'Text Highlight Color' or 'Underline' buttons in the toolbar to format selected text.

Annotate, highlight, and underline text in PDFs directly without expensive subscriptions.Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats, ensuring your DOCX files retain their formatting.All-in-one tabbed interface allows you to manage PDFs and Word documents side-by-side.Built-in OCR technology helps you highlight text even in scanned PDFs.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I unable to highlight text in my PDF file?

If you cannot highlight text, the PDF may be a scanned image rather than a text-based document. You will need to use a PDF editor with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) capabilities to convert the image into selectable text before applying highlights. Additionally, the document might have security restrictions preventing annotations.

Can I change the highlight color in Adobe Acrobat?

Yes. After highlighting the text, right-click on the highlighted area and select 'Properties'. In the Appearance tab, you can choose a different color and adjust the opacity. You can also check 'Make Properties Default' to use this color for future highlights.

Will highlights made in Microsoft Word remain if I save it back as a PDF?

Yes. Any text highlights or underlines applied in Microsoft Word will carry over and remain visible when you use the 'Save As' or 'Export' function to convert the document back into a PDF format.

PDF Troubleshooting